"Heartbeats" is the first single from The Knife's 2003 album Deep Cuts, released in Sweden on 27 December 2002 and re-released on 4 October 2004.

An acoustic cover version was recorded by José González for his debut album Veneer. After this version was featured in a 2005 advertisement for Sony's Bravia brand of televisions, it was released as a single in January 2006.

The song was listed at #15 on Pitchfork Media's top 500 songs of the 2000s and at #87 on Rolling Stone's top 100 songs of the 2000s. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 95 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[1]

German alternative rock band Saint Aside released a rock oriented cover of the José Gonzáles version on their 2011 album Angel Come. The song was released as a single on 19 August 2011. The album is due for release on 30 September 2011.[4] German punk rock band Spitting Off Tall Buildings covered the song on their album 2007 Good Night And Good Luck.[5]

Seattle dream pop band Golden Gardens covered the song on their debut EP, Somnambulist, released on December 6, 2010.[6] New Orleans based rock band Royal Teeth covered Heartbeats as well on their debut EP Act Naturally in 2011.[7] The rapper Isaiah Toothtaker sampled the song on his title Muerte Folks in June 2011.[8]

The song has received critical acclaim since its release. MusicOMH said that the song's "emotive lyrics merge with forward thinking production to create one of the most exciting electronica releases of the year", and Contactmusic.com stated the song had "clever synth beats and Björkesque vocals" with the ability to "instil some fun and nostalgia into music."[9][10] Gigwise.com said that the song was "perhaps one of the most hypnotic and haunting electronic songs of recent times, [...] innately infectious from the outset."[11] Several reviews commented that the song had an 1980s feel.[9][10] The remix by Rex the Dog was described by MusicOMH as "a masterful reworking that fits it up nicely for the dancefloor".[9]